In Sunderland (Southwick) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:-

27966 Private
T. Urwin
Durham Light Infantry
7th September 1918 Age 25

In memory of
The beloved son of
Fred and Isabella Urwin
At Rest

The son of Fred and Isabella Urwin, of 26, Abbay Street, Southwick on Wear.

A family headstone reads:-

In loving memory of
My dear husband
Frederick McDougal Urwin
Who died May 22nd 1934 aged 78 years

Also Isabella wife of the above
Who died March 27th 1945 aged 86 years

Also Pte. Thomas Urwin DLI son of the above
Who died of wounds Sept. 7th 1918 aged 25 years

At Rest

Derek Haynes has supplied the following:-

The birth of Thomas was registered in the June Q 1893 in Sunderland the son of Frederick McDougle and Isabella Urwin (nee Burlinson); his parents married on the 23rd December 1882 in the Church of the Venerable Bede, Monkwearmouth.

Including Thomas there were 8 children from the marriage:
Victor born December Q 1883;
George Stanley born December Q 1885;
Jane born June Q 1888;
Frederick born December Q 1890;
Lena born March Q 1895;
James born June Q 1897.

All the births of the above children were registered in Sunderland.

To date the only child not identified died is the one who died in childhood.

Aged 8 by the time of the 1901 census Thomas and the family are residing in three rooms at 3 Schimel Street, Southwick; his father is employed as a joiner in a shipyard.

Still residing in the parish of Southwick by 1911 the family has moved to a five roomed house at 25 Abbay Street. Now aged 18 years Thomas is employed as an apprentice bricklayer working underground at a local colliery.

By 1915 Thomas is residing at 28 Olive Road, Plaistow, he gives this address as his residence when enlisting into the Durham Light Infantry on the 13th November 1915 at Canning Town. A brief description of Thomas is given on his medical report, aged 22 years; he is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds with a chest measurement of 35 inches, he also has a small mole on the front of his neck. He gives his religion as Wesleyan Methodist and names his father as next of kin.

On the 16th November after being given the regimental number 27966 Thomas joined his regiment at Newcastle. By the 25th November he had been posted to the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry at South Shields. After travelling to Folkestone, his Battalion left there on the 12th June 1917 and disembarked the same day at Boulogne. Soon after arriving at Boulogne Thomas was transferred from the 3rd to the 15th Battalion D.L.I. who were based at Etaples.

Thomas was wounded three times; the first was a Gun Shot Wound to his left shoulder this occurred on the 1st August 1917 less than two months after disembarking. After treatment he rejoined his battalion in the field on the 27th September 1917. By this time he had been promoted to Lance Corporal, but on the 26th November 1917 he lost his Lance Corporal stripe for the following misdemeanors: Falling out of line during a march; Throwing away his pack; Smoking a cigarette at the time of the march.

On the 2nd April 1918 while still in France he received a Gun Shot wound to his right arm. On returning to England for treatment he spent a day from the 3rd to the 4th April in a Military Hospital. He was then transferred to the Mount Hospital, Faversham, after recovering from his wound he was discharged on the 25th April 1918.

Thomas returned to his unit and it was while serving at Rouen on the 28th August 1918 that he received a Gun Shot Wound to his neck/head. After receiving treatment in the field Thomas would have been taken to the nearest port by train, it was from one such port that he was then taken aboard the Hospital Ship St. David and brought back to England. Two days after being wounded Thomas arrived back in England, where he was admitted to the Westminster Hospital, London. He remained there until his death on the 7th September 1918.

Army Form A. 27 dated 9th September 1918 states that Thomas died from heart failure and haemorrhage at 4 30 p.m. on the 7th September 1918 at the Westminster Hospital, London.

After receiving the news of the death of their son, Frederick and Isabella placed the following announcement in the Sunderland Echo:-
On the 7th at Westminster Hospital, the results of wounds received in action, aged 25 years, Private Thomas Urwin D.L.I., the beloved son of Frederick and Isabella Urwin. To be interred at Southwick Cemetery. Members of the Southwick Congregational Brotherhood and congregation of the church are invited to attend. Internment later.

On the 10th September 1918 the body of Thomas was returned home, three days later he was laid to rest in Section BB. Grave no. 442 of Southwick Cemetery. A CWGC headstone marks his final resting place.

In all Thomas spent 2 years 10 months in service of his country of that time 1 year 2 months was spent in the field. For service to his country he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

HMHS St. David was built at John Browns shipyard, Clydeside, Scotland. She was a hospital ship from 19th August 1914 to 16th January 1919. In 1932 she was renamed Rosslare then a year later was sold for scrap.

Frederick Urwin was 78 years old when he died on the 22nd May 1934. The following announcement appeared in the Sunderland Echo a day later:
At 26 Abbay Street, Southwick on May 22, aged 78 years, Frederick McDougal, the dearly loved husband of Isabella Urwin. Internment at Southwick Cemetery on Saturday, cortege leaving residence at 1. 15p.m. for service in Southwick Parish Church. Friends kindly invited. At rest.

The date of the funeral was the 26th May 1934.

Isabella Urwin was 86 years old when she died on the 27th March 1945. The following announcement appeared in the Sunderland Echo a day later:
39 Bond Street (home of her daughter*) March 27, 86 years, Isabel, beloved wife of late Frederick Urwin. Internment Southwick Cemetery Saturday, Leaving 10.20 for service St. Columba’s Church.

The date of the funeral was the 31st March 1945.

The daughter mentioned above was Lena who had married Samuel Mosley.

Both Frederick and Isabella were laid to rest in the same plot Section BB Grave No. 440.

Thomas Urwin is remembered at Southwick on S130.04 and S130.22, at Sunderland in S140.048 Part 2 page 33, in Peter Gibson’s book and in the  D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page  237.